his monster the Aku-Boma is part of Rite Publishing's newest racial book Litorians for Monte Cook's Arcana Evovled which goes on sale 04/04/2010, it is previewed here using the Arcana Evovled rules for your viewing pleasure.
Illustration by Richard Biggs Jr.
You see a great hedgework of many plants, each one the size of a horse, together they create a living fence that surrounds an encampment
Aku-Boma CR 8
Large plant
Init –1; Senses blindsight 30 ft., low-light vision;
Listen +17, Spot +17
Defense
AC 21, touch 7, flat-footed 21 (–1 Dex, +14 natural, –2 size)
hp 114 (12d8+60)
Fort +13, Ref +3, Will +11
Defensive Abilities plant traits; DR 10/crystal and slashing, elemental and energy absorption
Weakness to water and cold
Offense
Speed 5 ft.
Melee 2 bites +17 (3d6+9)
Ranged 4 thorns +7 (1d6+9)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks thorn swarm
Statistics
Str 29, Dex 8, Con 21, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 13
Base Atk +9; Grp +22
Feats Ability Focus (Dimensional Snare), Iron Will
Skills Listen +17, Spot +17, Survival +17
Languages Common, Sylvan, (understand, but does not speak)
SQ Dimensional Snare
Ecology
Environment any warm plain
Organization solitary or hedge (4-40)
Treasure standard
Special Abilities
Constrict (Ex): An aku-boma deals 2d6+7 points of damage with a successful grapple check.
Deep Roots (Ex): Aku-Boma roots go extremely deep, usually a minimum of 50 ft., and they are covered with the same type of thorns as the upper area of the plant. This prevents burrowing creatures from entering the area beneath them, and creates an underground bowl of protection when there is an aku-boma hedge circle present.
Dimensional Snare (Su): An aku-boma creates a snare that captures extradimensional travelers, and puts them into a woodland prison upon a failed save (Will DC 19). Forms of movement that result in a snare include astral projection, blink, dimension door, ethereal jaunt, etherealness, gate, maze, plane shift, shadow walk, teleport, and similar spell-like or psionic abilities. Once a hedge circle of aku-boma is in place, extradimensional travel into or out of an area is not possible, as a successful save simply results in the subject appearing in front of the aku-boma.
An aku-boma does not block extradimensional perception or attack forms. Also, it does not prevent summoned creatures from disappearing at the end of a summoning spell.
Element and Energy Absorption (Su): All acid, air, earth, electricity, fire and sonic damage heals an aku-boma. If an aku-boma is at full hit points the damage is converted to temporary hit points; when these reach a number equal to the aku-boma's hit point total it creates another aku-boma in an unoccupied 10' square that is adjacent to the original. At this point the original aku-boma loses these temporary hit points.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an aku-boma must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple (+22) as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.
Pinning Prison (Su): If an aku-boma successfully pins an opponent it can cast woodland prison on the opponent as a swift action (no save).
Swarm of Thorns (Su): An aku-boma can expel all its thorns as a standard action. When expelled, they animate into a swarm by the will of the aku-boma. The swarms of thorns are treated as a swarm of fine plants with a flying speed of 90 ft. (perfect manueverability), a 10 ft. space and 50 hit points. The aku-boma controls the swarm as a free action and can maneuver it out to a distance of 300 ft. The aku-boma applies its elemental and energy absorption to its swarm. If the swarm is destroyed, the aku-boma can completely re-grow all its lost thorns in 1 day. The aku-boma may reattach these thorns as a standard action.
Description
Gather round cublings, and do not just hear, but listen to the tale of the Aku-Boma. Long, long ago after the cursed dramojh destroyed the Hanavere Trinity, many of their servants, having witnessed the murder of their gods, fled before the hosts of the dragon-scions. One such being, however, had vowed never to retreat and never to allow a foe to pass. Standing its ground against overwhelming odds, eventually even this valorous one fell. Yet this being was not slain, but was captured by a Fangmaster in a woodland prison the cursed dramojh created from a bloody thorn bush it found on the field of battle. The Fangmaster took the bush and planted it in the garden of its Fortress of the Sky Isle built above a hidden valley of the Bitter Peaks. For over a thousand years the blessed one stayed imprisoned and lost, until the giants won the Battle of the Serpent’s Heart.
Yet still the Aku-Boma could not escape for even though the imprisoned one had evolved, becoming one with the thorns, still it could not fly. It also found that its new growth wilted in cold season that was no longer kept at bay by the dramojh fangmaster’s magics and that the rains brought too much water and risked turning the garden into a lake drowning the plant. It called out to the Green in fear and sorrow.
Hence came a litorian greenbond of the krashannarak tribe, one who had been enslaved by the dramojh. She spoke with the thorns, whose mind now only held on to its ancient oath. And so the Aku-Boma was brought from the Bitter Peaks past the snow-filled passes, down the river where unquiet spirits dwell till it came to the lands of the Krashannarak, and its descendants have grown to become a line that no foe may pass.
-Excerpt from Litorian Tales as translated by Esdiara Harrowstaff
In traditional litorian culture, a boma was used to keep livestock away from raiders and predators. A boma is an enclosure made of thorn branches, plants that were very strong, and has hooked spikes that hold on to animals tightly. The aku-boma is much stronger, filled with the power of a vow, and with spikes that seek out and grab hold of the foes of the litorians.
We, the aku-boma seek to hold the line, to keep those who are worthy safe. If dishonor were to come to a tribe, though, we would leave and seek out those who were honorable. There is only the vow and perfect service.
When the Moonlight Rustler sought to take the bulette from behind our walls it learned that even a dragon can fall to a storm of a thousand thorns and the herd of panicked bulette learned they could not pass our roots.
Lore:
Characters with Delve Into Collective Memory or Knowledge (dangerous beasts or litorians) can learn more about aku-boma. When a character makes a successful check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.
Common (DC 10): This is an Aku-Boma plant creature; it will allow only certain creatures to pass beyond it. This reveals all plant traits.
Uncommon (DC 22): “Aku-Boma” translates to “Great Corral” in the Litorian Tongue; read excerpt from "Litorian Tales."
Rare (DC 28): One of the most dangerous crops the litorians cultivate, the aku-boma can kill with its grasping tendrils of thorns, thrown thorn spikes, a swarm of flying thorns, or simply imprison you inside it. It is resilient to most forms of weapons and can absorb the power of almost every energy and/or element.
Obscure (DC 38): Aku-Boma hate crystal axes and all other weapons formed of crystal that can cut a tree to kindling.
Epic (DC 48): Legends say an aku-boma will either abandon its charge or kill itself if ever it breaks its vow.
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